Jordan Shipley, Dejaune Brown and George Hall scored as Port Vale drew at home in their final Football League Trophy group game. The Valiants then lost a penalty shootout. Here’s our match report.
Team News
As expected, Darren Moore made wholesale changes for this dead rubber game. Ben Amos started in goal, Ben Heneghan was drafted into the defence, Funso Ojo and Jordan Shipley returned to the midfield, Ronan Curtis was named on the flank while the forward line comprised of Jayden Stockley, Dejaune Brown and Mo Faal.
It was a bit of a surprise to see firstly Kyle John start (as he’s the only senior fit right wingback) and secondly youngster Ben Lomax not given a space in the squad – both as cover for John but also to continue his development.
A strong bench contained the likes of George Byers, Ryan Croasdale, Ruari Paton and George Hall.
Funso Ojo – started in midfield
First-half
Vale’s nightmare form continued as they trailed in the first forty five minutes of their Football League Trophy game with Fleetwood Town.
As is often the case in Football League Trophy games, the lack of atmosphere contributed to a largely insipid opening.
By ten minutes the only efforts on target by either side were weak shots by the two Ronans – Vale’s Curtis and Fleetwood’s Coughlan. On 19 minutes, a Curtis corner caused problems with Heneghan just unable to connect. Two minutes later the visitors went even close as Coughlan’s effort went just wide.
Fleetwood took the lead on the half-hour mark. A free-kick was played to Mark Helm and his curling effort beat Amos.
Vale were making very little headway and creating few chances. They had to wait until 42 minutes for a decent chance when John’s cross just evaded Faal and Shipley’s follow-up was blocked. It was a half in which the visitors had had the better chances and Vale had failed to force the Fleetwood keeper into a meaningful save.
Half-time: Port Vale 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Ronan Curtis – weak effort
Second-half
Vale turned things around in the second 45 minutes as, despite a draw after ninety minutes, they ended up group winners.
Darren Moore made two changes at the break with Connor Hall and Debrah replacing Humphreys and John. However, it was the visitors who had the first chance as Vale once again started slowly. Once again, Vale passes were going astray and the side contained little threat. It was becoming a tough watch.
There was finally a moment of quality when Shipley expertly controlled Ojo’s cross ball and finished past the keeper to make the scores level on 53 minutes. t finally sparked Vale into life and Shipley’s cross found Faal’s head only for the effort to be saved.
The Valiants then turned it around when Brown beat the offside trap and he kept his composure to score the second goal on 55 minutes.
Another good ball from Ojo on 67 minutes found the forward unmarked but the keeper saved his effort. From the resulting corner, Faal’s weak effort was saved.
However, after those Vale chances, Fleetwood went up the other end and scored. Arguably Amos should have done better with Medley’s shot which went in via his near post. Darren Moore responded by taking off the impressive Brown and replacing him with Paton while Byers replaced Shipley.
Vale countered with a fierce drive by Curtis on 72 minutes which was saved at the second attempt. However, Fleetwood then had a great chance but Virtue’s effort was charged down by Headley. With ten minutes left, George Hall replaced Mo Faal. However, moments later, Fleetwood went ahead. Medley was tracked back by makeshift wingback Curtis and he scored past Amos to make it 3-2 with nine minutes left.
It wasn’t over yet though. Ojo threaded another good ball through – this time to sub George Hall who finished well to make it all-square.
The one saving grace from the draw was that Vale did top the group and will get a home tie in the knockout stages.
Full-time: Port Vale 3-3 Fleetwood Town
Jordan Shipley – first goal for Vale
Penalty shootout
Played in front of the empty Hamil end, Fleetwood started proceedings. Helm scored the opener with Jayden Stockley’s weak effort then saved by the keeper. Davies made it 2-0 to the visitors and Ronan Curtis scoring to make it 2-1.
Graydon made it 3-1 to Town and Ruari Paton scored to make it 3-2. Ennis then made it 4-2 to the visitors and George Byers blazed well over to give the visitors the shootout win
Analysis
The match
Played in stormy conditions, the weather was arguably more dramatic than the he action in the first-half. In the opening 45 minutes, Vale continued their insipid form despite fielding three forwards, they looked short of goals and short on creativity.
To their credit, Vale did play better in the second-half, with Ojo pulling the strings, but they arguably need to dominate game not rely on brief periods of good play. If they don’t then opposing teams can snatch goals as Fleetwood showed on the night.
The Valiants still look a team without a clear starting eleven, a clear formation and a clear plan at the moment.
The players
If this game was an audition for a position in the League One eleven then plenty of players fluffed their lines. Kyle John had a decent first 45 minutes but was removed, probably as a precaution. After a quiet first-half, Dejaune Brown looked much more of the threat after the hour mark but then was promptly replaced when arguably either of Stockley or Faal would have been a better choice to be removed. At least sub George Hall had a lively cameo off the bench.
There was also the recent theme of players being played out of position. Rather than naming Ben Lomax, a natural replacement at right wingback, Moore opted for no cover for Kyle John. When John was rested it meant Ronan Curtis played at wingback and he failed to track Medley for the winner. As it’s not Curtis’ natural position can he be blamed?
Lots of Vale players had brief periods of being involved and then being largely anonymous. There wasn’t anyone, apart from the calm and collected Funso Ojo, who managed to play well throughout the whole 90 minutes.
Star player
Funso Ojo
Summing up in a sentence
Home draw and shoddy shootout ends group stages.
Match stats
Team: Amos – John (Debrah), Heneghan, Humphreys (C.Hall) – Curtis, Shipley (Byers), Ojo, Headley – Faal (G.Hall), Brown (Paton), Stockley
Subs: Marosi, Croasdale
Yellows: none
Reds: none
Goals: Shipley (53), Brown (55), G.Hall (88)
Attendance: 723 (18 visitors)
Season stats
Your thoughts…
Debate the match on the dedicated match thread in the OVF forum
Or scroll down and post your comment at the bottom of this match report
Edit: corrected as report originally said 80 visiting supporters
3 Goals in 1 game , let’s start the Party .
Spot on. Ojo passing and effort was on the money. Of the others agree that Brown John and George Hall the only ones who should be in contention for Saturday. Amos looked rusty beaten twice by the same player at his near post both times . As for Curtis the guy ran past him like he was running through quicksand on the third goal.I fully expect the tombola to be in full swing for Saturday team selection, for in my book Mr Moores last stand should he fail to win. Shout out to the 14 fleetwood fans, perhaps a thing to come at vale park in the near future in our league 2 games next season if the manager doesn’t get removed NOW! Saturday is a must win. If not time is up Mr Moore!
Thanks for this detailed report. The match may have been a dead rubber, but it’s always interesting to see how the chosen line up performs. It seems that little can be taken from the game other than that another rotated team selection struggled, this time against League 2 opposition. Ojo’s reported form will please those supporters demanding he start league games, although there aren’t guarantees with Moore’s selection decisions. The omission of Ben Lomax was perhaps the direct opposite of what many rightly expected, an excellent 4opportunity lost. It can’t have done much for the lad’s confidence, assuming he was fit.
Fleetwood should have walked it in easy pickings
1st half display says that the players out there were not even league standard
If Moore still fails to start Ojo after his performance tonight and sticks with Dead Legs Byers, the club hasn’t a cat in hells chance of staying up under this clown. Yet again Moore has just thrown in a bunch of players, the majority of which have barely featured more than the odd 30mins here and there all season. He went with 3 up front in Faal-Brown-Stockley, I doubt if these 3 have ever played in a front 3 before, let alone together. He started the second half with Debrah-Heneghan-Hall, possibly our three slowest defenders and wonders why we concede sloppy goals. Then to top it all, when we finally do start to look a threat going forward he chooses to make more changes. Everything the man does is just baffling!
Fleetwood had 18 supporters not the 80 as stated.Keep up the good work!
I dont day much but we are destined to go down. It will all be over by christmas. WW will stuff us on saturday 100%. You can trot past our back 3! We have gone from being too small in defence to far too laboured and slow. Watch this space folks.
I am still waiting for Carol to come out and explain to the supporters WHY Mr Moore is still the Port Vale manager, come on Carol show some bottle tell us WHY you are keeping Moore as manager, you know ,I know, and so do the rest of the fans if Mr Moore stays, Port Vale,are a certainty for relegation that equals Low season ticket sales, meaning less hospitality and very low shit sales.WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAPPEN TO Port Vale.